Need for Chronic Wound Treatment on the Rise, New York Hospital Queens Opens Center for Wound Healing— One of Only Two In County with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Friday, June 29, 2012

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Allison Fleming
718-670-2374
alf9034@nyp.org

Debra Pagano Cohen
718-670-1586
dec9067@nyp.org

Cynthia Bacon
718-670-2515
crm9002@nyp.org

Briarwood, N.Y., June 29, 2012 –The New York Hospital Queens Center for Wound Healing opened this week at the Silvercrest Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation. Currently, close to five million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic wounds and the number is on the rise. People most likely to suffer from chronic wounds include the elderly, diabetics and obese people, and patients receiving radiation.

The new Center addresses an increasing need for more aggressive wound treatment using some of the most advanced techniques, including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). People with hard-to-treat chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers and radionecrosis (the destruction of tissue), can benefit from HBOT. The Center features two hyperbaric chambers that provide HBOT. During HBOT, patients breathe 100 percent oxygen. The increase in oxygen in the blood encourages the creation of blood vessels and increases production of collagen, both necessary for wound healing. The NYHQ Center for Wound Healing is one of only two Centers in Queens that offers this treatment.

“This Center is a much needed addition to the community. One in six diabetics will suffer from chronic foot ulcers during their lifetime, and 60 percent of bed-ridden patients, many of whom are elderly and in long-term care facilities, suffer from pressure ulcers. As these populations grow, so will the number of chronic wounds. Opening this Center means patients can receive a higher level of wound care near where they live and work, ” said Stephen S. Mills, president and chief executive officer, New York Hospital Queens.

The New York Hospital Queens Center for Wound Healing offers a higher level of wound care — right here in Queens. The Center is led by Program Director Cari Dabak, R.N., B.A., B.S.N., W.C.C. The Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For physicians who want to refer a patient or for more information, call 855-480-HEAL (4325). The Center is located in the Silvercrest Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation at 144-45 87th Avenue in Briarwood, N.Y.

The Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation is a 320-bed skilled nursing facility that provides long-term nursing care, subacute rehabilitation, ventilator care and respiratory therapy. Silvercrest is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

New York Hospital Queens is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

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